


End of the Day

by amiabletoad



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:35:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24213022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amiabletoad/pseuds/amiabletoad
Summary: After Korra and Asami spend time together in the spirit world, they return to Republic City to learn that gang crime has skyrocketed in their absence. When Korra discovers some news that turns her world upside down, she once again begins growing distant from her loved ones. In her anguish, she quickly discovers that her Avatar powers are beyond what she'd ever thought possible.Fighting to keep everyone together through the chaos, Bolin refuses to see Team Avatar broken. He remains convinced of the team's competence in spite of Mako's injury from battle, Korra's shock at the recent news, and Asami's grief at her father's fate. Everyone's stress threatens to drive a wedge between the members of Team Avatar.Surprises around every corner and enemies in unexpected places cause tensions to rise around the globe. The world starts to rearrange the mess Kuvira left behind. Korra learns what really matters to her as she finds her way through yet another dark phase in life, and she falls in love along the way...
Relationships: Bolin/Korra (Avatar), more later! - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue - To the Spirit World

**Author's Note:**

> THIS WILL BE BORRA! THIS IS BORRA.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra and Asami are in the spirit world.

Hand-in-hand with Asami, Korra felt her hair whip past her face as she and her girlfriend phased from the physical world to the spirit world. 

Together, they stepped out of the portal’s blinding light, and into the meadow that surrounded it: a vast expanse of rolling hills covered with strange vegetation. Plants of all different hues and sizes littered the landscape from its peaks to its dips. The small hills of the terrain grew flatter, gradually changing into a towering forest of the brightest green. 

Asami squeezed Korra’s hand in her own, causing Korra to avert her gaze from the landscape and instead turn it to her girlfriend’s face, which was glowing with joy at the sight before her. Asami hadn’t explored her spirituality much, but since her dad’s death, she found herself searching for meaning in anything, and if that meant traipsing into the spirit world on a whim, then so be it. She knew from secondhand accounts that the spirit world was unique, but the experience itself was far beyond anything she had expected. The second they’d stepped into the spirit world, Asami had felt a blanket of calm envelop her entirely, wrapping her spirit and her troubled mind in a soothing embrace of surety. She wondered if this was what it felt like for Korra every time she came here but was too enthralled with the sight before her to consider asking.

Pink blossoms grew in the field immediately around the portal. Their petals were fringed with something that looked suspiciously like teeth, but Korra had learned that she had nothing to fear from most of the spirit world’s creatures and flora if she regarded them respectfully. Many fluorescent spirits, purple, pink, blue, and green, circled the portal now, greeting the couple by flying past them over and over. Some even trilled softly. 

Noticing Asami’s enchantment, Korra said, “Welcome to the spirit world.”

Asami let go of Korra’s hand and took a few excited paces forward, and with a huge smile, she replied, “I can’t believe I’m actually here.” She stood among the toothed blossoms and the wispy green grass for a moment, appreciating the scene in front of her. 

Korra came to Asami’s side, holding out a hand for the small, shimmering bird spirit that hovered near her in quiet companionship. Its blue plumage seemed to glow brighter when it hooked its claws gently onto two of Korra’s fingers, its tail swaying back and forth in contentment. 

Smiling warmly to the spirit, she continued, “The spirit world is a pretty unpredictable place. You never know when the ground might drop right out from under you, so stay close. I don’t want us to get separated.” 

Gazing at Korra with a fond smile, Asami agreed, “Me neither...” They once again took each other’s hands, then looked upon the meadow in front of them. “So… Where do we start our vacation?” 

Korra could feel her spirit basking in the glow of the spirit world. Each time she came here (except the first), her spirit swelled up inside her, overwhelming her with pure joy at her own existence. She felt like she had come home, like she had taken a deep, satisfying breath after being underwater. As she gazed upon the ethereal beauty before her, overflowing with pride at her recent victories, gratitude that her loved ones all survived, and love for the woman beside her, an enormous, dazzling, golden dragon-bird appeared over the horizon.

Its appearance gave her an idea of how to start their vacation. She recognized this spirit, and her heart warmed knowing that her old friend had come to see her again. It was truly a sight to behold, and as it flew closer, Asami took note of what Korra was looking at. They watched the dragon as it approached, revealing its true size, which was much larger than it appeared from a distance. Feeling the wind from the dragon’s wingstrokes sweep through her hair, Asami moved closer to Korra, in awe as the dragon’s talons stretched out above them. It circled overhead for a moment before landing, gouging the soil with its claws and causing the ground to tremble, yet strangely not piercing any of the plant life beneath. With wonder, Asami beheld the creature in front of her, glancing only momentarily at Korra’s face to assess her expression, though she knew Korra would have alerted her to any danger. 

“Good to see you again, buddy,” Korra said fondly, looking up to the avian spirit’s face. A happy laugh escaped her as she presented Asami to the spirit too, guiding her hand toward its brilliant golden beak. 

Lots of spirits spoke the human tongue, but a lot of them didn’t, and in Korra’s experience, this was one of those who didn’t. However, words weren’t necessary for them to communicate. The spirit arched its neck toward the purple sky and gazed at Asami with its piercing, noble stare, and Asami held its eyes until she felt herself warm in its glow. Instantly she knew: the spirit had taken a liking to her. She hadn’t expected otherwise, really, but in front of a spirit creature thousands of times her size, she did feel herself worry a little. She couldn’t help but smile as the spirit lowered its head once more and allowed her to run her fingers along its beak and neck.

Korra, still smiling too, raised her eyebrows to the spirit, as if asking a question. The dragon-bird lowered itself to the ground in front of the couple. Its back was significantly higher off the ground than either could reach, so Korra wrapped one arm around Asami and used the other to shoot a gust of wind at the ground, propelling them into the air. Asami’s heart leapt as Korra changed the air currents to swirl around them and ease them onto the dragon’s back, just behind its wing joints. Its plumage was surprisingly soft, yet instead of sinking into it, both were supported by it. Apparently spirit-plumage was somehow simultaneously soft and sturdy. Asami wrapped an arm around Korra’s waist and braced herself for takeoff.

With a loud _WHOOSH_ , the dragon launched off the ground, still leaving the surrounding plants unharmed, and took to the sky. Korra’s face broke into another huge grin as she felt Asami tighten her arm around her waist and gasp with delight at the sight below them. Asami found herself absolutely speechless with amazement. Even though they had just been down there together, seeing the ground beneath them speed past in a blur from the clouds was enchanting. Both of them knew they’d never forget the feeling of soaring through the air together, and that shared knowledge seemed to make them emanate a warm glow. 

When the dragon-bird began its descent, Korra paid closer attention to the details of the landscape―during their ride, she had simply been appreciating its beauty, but she was curious if she’d recognize the place where the spirit landed. It slowed the beating of its wings above a forest of translucent lilypad-like trees, landing in a clearing which parted one field from the next. Korra was sure to keep a mental note of it: it resembled what could be a path, and there weren’t many distinct landmarks in their current vicinity. 

Nearby spirits of many different forms were observing the disturbance, and Asami was observing them in return. That curiosity was something Korra loved about Asami; she was naturally inquisitive, and she saw something in every situation that no one else would notice. She knew when to sit back, analyze, and observe, and when to respond. Sometimes, Korra wondered how well she would have functioned as the Avatar if she had never met Asami. Many already believed her to be an awful Avatar, but Korra was certain she could be much, much worse.

Tentatively, she began climbing down the dragon-bird’s back, not sure if the pressure of her weight would bother it. In fact, Korra wasn’t sure if spirits could… feel discomfort? She’d never taken the time to ask one of the ones who spoke with her; most of the time, when she came to the spirit world, her life (and the lives of others) was in danger. It struck her that, if the dragon hadn’t come by to give them a lift, she wouldn’t have had any idea how to answer Asami’s inquiry of how to begin their vacation. Surrounded by the cool air, the soothing light shining through the lilypad trees, and the multicolored spirits, Korra felt her stomach lurch with sadness. She’d spent so much of her life in danger, she had missed out on the true beauty of life around her. These morbid realizations plagued her mind frequently, and most especially when she tried to relax, but she was determined not to let the past ruin her present experience. In an attempt to maintain her calm, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly when she landed, her energy disappearing momentarily into the energy around her. She felt immediate relief as she exhaled.

Surprised, she looked up at Asami and offered a hand for support as she climbed down the dragon-bird’s back. When Asami, too preoccupied with keeping her footing to notice, didn’t respond, Korra sat down and took another deep breath. If she closed her eyes, she could feel her spirit wander into the camaraderie of the others around her. The comfort of their presence coaxed her into a slow, dreamlike trance, but instead of encouraging it, she opened her eyes, knowing that Asami would probably be confused if she chose to meditate right then and there. 

_Huh,_ she thought to herself. _I guess my negative emotions don’t_ always _cause the spirits to go wild here._ She was glad that her momentary surge of sadness hadn’t affected the spirits, but she had to wonder why it was different for her now than when she when she’d touched the southern portal to come here. A wise man whose spirit lived somewhere near here (or so she thought, since the landscape looked the same as her memories', but truthfully she couldn’t be certain where they were) had told her that her emotions affected the spirit world greatly, potentially even causing nearby spirits to change into a more angry, more aggressive form of themselves. She'd not believe it if she hadn't seen it firsthand.

The soft thump of Asami’s boots hitting the ground broke her train of thought and prompted Korra to look up. Asami, hair tousled yet still falling down her shoulders elegantly, stood before her, hand outstretched. Korra accepted it and let Asami pull her up from the ground. “It’s really easy for me to harmonize with the spirits here. It’s like they want me to meditate,” Korra told her, in explanation for why she’d been sitting on the ground. 

“Maybe you should,” Asami replied, still holding Korra’s hand. “If the spirits are telling you to do it, it must be important.” 

Korra shook her head and dusted off her clothes, then realized nothing had collected on her clothes in the first place. Sheepishly, she said, “They’re not telling me to do anything. It’s not urgent. It just seems like they’re…” She trailed off for a moment, then continued, “It seems like they’re family welcoming me home.” 

Asami smiled. Much of Korra’s life was unpredictable in this way, and sometimes that unpredictability led to trouble, but Korra had grown a lot in the past few years, and Asami trusted her more than ever to listen to her instincts about the situation. If Korra wasn’t alarmed by this new development, then nor was she. She took Korra’s hand once more, rubbing it with her thumb reassuringly, and gestured toward the almost-pathway beneath their feet. “Wanna see where this takes us?”

“Of course,” Korra answered her warmly, squeezing Asami’s hand and setting off at a leisurely pace with her. They breathed in the thrilling energy of the light around them while they walked, no particular destination in mind. The veins in the nearby trees’ gargantuan, disk-shaped leaves cast a soft glow on Asami’s face, making her seem to shine with their verdant energy, too. As they walked, more spirits took notice of them. From the large, pink, anteater-like spirits to the smallest purple butterfly spirits, each of them spared a moment to watch the Avatar and her girlfriend walk between the trees that they called home.

As the lilypad trees became more sparse, they were replaced by mushroom trees. Huge, chunky, brown stalks crawled up to caps of red which sat upon an intricate pink webbing. Korra wasn’t a huge fan of mushrooms, even after her time in the Swamp, but since she wasn’t planning to eat these particular ones, she was excited to see them replace the lilypad trees. They looked like they could support Asami’s and Korra’s weight if they were to climb them.

Still holding hands, Korra and Asami made their way to a pool of shade cast by the cap of one of the mushroom trees. Asami looked up, admiring the lattice pattern of the mushroom’s webbing. Of course, she had seen mushrooms before, but something about standing underneath an organism that she would usually deem to be food, dwarfed by its size, relaxing in the shade it provided… it was humbling. 

Her silent pondering was interrupted by an excited gasp from Korra. Asami averted her gaze from the mushroom’s webbing and saw her girlfriend pressing her fingers into the tree. “Um, Korra? We have food in the bag. You don’t need to disfigure this mushroom.” She pointed to the bag on her back.

“I’m not trying to disfigure it,” Korra replied, next pressing her foot into the mushroom stalk to further test its pliability. “I just want to see if we can climb it without hurting it. I think it would be fun.” The spongy mushroom stalk began to give way when Korra put more of her weight onto it, so she shook her head and crossed her arms. “I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”

“Why don’t you just airbend us up there like with the dragon-bird spirit?” Asami asked her, eyebrows furrowed. “That wouldn’t hurt it, would it?”

Korra huffed a little bit. “I wanted to race you to the top. Airbending is fun and all, but sometimes the Avatar wants to do something exciting, like climbing a giant fungus with her girlfriend.” 

Asami, personally, had had enough excitement to last a lifetime, but she knew Korra wasn’t referring to the excitement they’d been through as of late. A climb up a mushroom tree without lives at stake probably sounded leisurely to Korra at this point. “I’m sure we’ll find the thrill you’re looking for,” Asami said. “We just got here! We have time.”

Well aware that she could be impulsive at times, Korra appreciated that Asami knew how to calm her before she acted on her impulses. It wasn’t that Korra couldn’t control herself―she could―but during her moments of impulsiveness, she tended to feel so strongly, she didn’t think she needed to. As a non-bender, Asami looked at life from a different angle than Korra, one from which self-preservation was more important than adventurousness, so she often thought of safety when Korra wouldn’t have to. The time Korra spent with Asami always reminded her to stop and think, even for just a moment, about what she was doing. She smiled and turned to Asami. 

When she thought about it, a picnic beneath a giant fungus sounded pretty great too.


	2. And Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asami and Korra return from the spirit world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ngl, this is really just an extension of the prologue. I wanted to break it up into smaller chunks so i could publish more frequently.
> 
> this chapter is where it starts to divert from the comics much more. hello new plot line!

The encounter with the mushroom trees was merely the beginning of their trek around the spirit world. During their exploration, they stumbled upon a deep lake at the foot of a mountain and gazed at the lake floor, a myriad of unique creatures catching their eyes. The water was clear and pure, and when they waded into the shallows, they found that it was pleasantly warm as well. Smooth rocks of various warm shades lay at the bottom of the lake, though they became harder to see as they trudged farther into the lake. 

Being surrounded by water was Korra’s comfort zone, but Asami usually preferred to avoid swimming into the depths of newly-discovered bodies of water. However, she knew she was safe here, and chose to venture underwater with Korra to observe the spirit world’s marine life. Each time Korra found herself in the water, she felt like she'd spent her whole life there, and the longer she spent there, the more energy seeped into her bones. Being underwater somehow amplified the experience of observing the marine and amphibious spirits, the lake's heaviness deafening them with its crushing density yet effortlessly supporting them as they floated idly alongside the subjects of their attention. Dancing, weaving, and bobbing between the creatures she admired, Korra repeatedly had to stop herself from gasping in awe and, as a result, breathing in a lungful of water.

When they tired of exploring the lake, Korra ushered some of the water into short a wave, which washed them closer to shore. There they sat for a moment to decide what was next. It turned out that what was next was mountain climbing, then getting removed from the mountainside by said mountain (which revealed its anthropomorphic form as they raced up its back), angrily demanding that Korra close the new spirit portal she’d created. Korra had tried to explain that the portal's creation was accidental, but the mountain spirit refused to listen and threw both her and Asami aside with a roar. 

Used to the spirits’ disdain by then, Korra concerned herself only with softening the fall when she and her girlfriend hit the rapidly-approaching ground. Taking a deep breath, she waited for just the right moment, then exhaled with tremendous force, breathing the lungful of air she’d just taken directly at the ground. Both women hovered above the ground for a brief second before landing in the dirt, Korra with an OOMPH! and Asami with a gasp of surprise. 

Asami stood up and patted her clothes to free any dirt that may have collected on them, but she realized there wasn’t any. She smiled, not surprised, and offered a hand to Korra, thinking that the strangeness of the spirit world manifested itself in the most random ways. Korra grasped her hand and let herself be pulled up from the ground as Asami said, “We lost all our supplies, so we should probably think about heading back to Republic City.”

Glumly, Korra nodded her head, tightening her grip on Asami’s hand for just a second. She’d been enjoyed being away from the stress of the mortal world, yet at the same time she knew it was necessary to return. Without her, the world could much more easily fall into disarray―as  if it wasn't already bad enough. Sometimes, though, the weight of the world on her shoulders made Korra want to drag her feet, ashamed as she was to feel that way.

“Before we go, there’s one last thing I want to do on our vacation,” Asami continued, meeting Korra’s eyes with a sweet smile. Holding both her hands, Asami pulled Korra closer, her eyes shining, her lips parted, her heart pounding. Korra felt her cheeks warm; Asami pressed her lips to Korra’s in a tender kiss that lasted mere seconds, but Korra’s heart still raced in her chest. They pulled away and stood with their foreheads pressed against each other for a moment, then began walking at a slow pace toward the familiar landscape that led to the new portal. 

As they walked, Korra gradually grew more disappointed that their vacation had ended for the reasons it did. She had wanted it to be special, perfect. She stopped in her tracks when an idea came to her, washing away her disappointment and replacing it with fresh excitement. Not a minute later, the steady beat of the dragon-bird's enormous wings ascertained the feasibility of Korra’s idea. In the blink of an eye they were once again climbing upon the back of the dragon-bird spirit, Korra whispering something to it before turning to Asami, whose arms were wrapped around her waist, and telling her, “Let’s go see my parents!”

Asami didn’t want her hair to fly into her mouth as they sped over the landscape, so she didn’t say anything in response until the dragon-bird landed, which gave her time to think about what she wanted to say. As she slid off its back, careful not to nudge the spirit too hard for fear of angering it, she said, “Your parents are great, it’s just…”

She trailed off when she noticed Korra’s smile and the gleam in her eyes, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to see Tonraq and Senna again. Her hesitation was only due to her excitement at their newly formed relationship; part of her wanted to savor the feeling of being in her own little world with Korra. However, she knew Korra’s eagerness to announce their love was from a good place, figured it was going to happen anyway, and knew that she’d rather tell Korra’s family in person than allow the press to deliver the news.

Furthermore, Korra’s parents were tremendously kind. Senna always smelled nice, like spice and something warm, offering her bowl after bowl of freshly made food at every meal. Tonraq made sure Asami was comfortable and content each time she visited. More often than not, he offered her animal skins for warmth. Having grown up in Republic City, Asami wasn't fond of the animal skins at first, with their leathery smell and her thoughts that something had died for her to stay warm. Of course, being less labor-intensive to acquire, animal furs were more accessible than textiles in the icy tundra (though since the Southern Water Tribe had recently been modernizing rapidly, they had begun incorporating more fabric into their everyday clothes). 

When Asami had mentioned her distaste for the animal skins to Korra, her conscience was eased by Korra's reassurance that no animal was ever killed just for its fur.  _ If the fur was used, the rest of it was too _ , Korra had told her. Asami didn’t ask for specifics about the uses of the other animal parts.

Korra took Asami’s hand, pulling her to the southern portal. “C’mon, they’re going to be thrilled when we tell them about us.” And together they walked through the portal to the south pole, where they were met with sentries from the village who offered a rickety snowmobile to the "esteemed Avatar and her lady friend” for transportation. They were able to reach the village quickly, leaving the mobile with the sentries stationed at the entrance of the village and rushing to Korra's home. Hasty hellos were exchanged at the door before the couple was ushered inside by Korra’s parents. As everyone ate dinner, Korra, nervous without knowing why, told her parents of her relationship with Asami.

Both of them were, as Korra expected, thrilled, but when Tonraq suggested that she keep her personal life private from the press, Korra couldn’t help but feel a little bothered. Most of her life was heavily publicized anyway, due to her Avatar duties, so why should she hide her love for Asami? Crestfallen, Korra abruptly insisted that she and her girlfriend return to the portal, telling her dad that she had expected him to be happy for her, not tell her to hide how she felt.

The return to the southern portal was a quiet ride, but when they once again entered and sat atop the dragon-bird spirit, Korra sighed and apologized for ignoring Asami’s protest at her suggestion to see her family. “I should have listened to you, but I got carried away and dragged you there anyway. I’m sorry.” She kicked herself mentally for making that choice without listening to Asami’s input.

“It’s okay, Korra,” Asami assured her, wrapping her arms around Korra’s waist as they braced themselves for takeoff toward the new spirit portal. “It was great to see them, but I kind of understand where he’s coming from. I guess a selfish part of me wants to keep you, and us, all to myself.”

Asami’s reassurance made the knot in Korra’s stomach untwist a little. Tonraq had told her,  _ You don’t have to tell everyone right away, Korra. You have time to let the world know; don’t get carried away. _

She understood that not everyone would feel the excitement she did about her love. Korra could be intense, her deep dedication to her beliefs motivating the majority of her actions. Love was something she’d grown to believe in most fiercely; after being thoroughly traumatized by multiple near-death experiences, Korra had learned the importance of showing love, whenever possible, to those she cared about. To her, Tonraq was asking her not to do something she felt bound to do―something she believed in so deeply, she wouldn't feel like herself if she didn't do it.

Still, she appreciated Asami’s explanation and the comfort of her embrace. As the dragon-bird spirit, whom Korra suspected would continue to be their spirit world chauffeur, soared over the bright, twisted, ethereal lands below them, Korra and Asami kept quiet, enjoying what they knew would likely be their last moments of peace together for a while. Their return to Republic City would, without a doubt, be met with much activity. 

The dragon-bird spirit’s grandiose wings created powerful gusts of wind as it lowered them to the meadow around the new portal. With a little sadness, Korra put a hand on the spirit’s beak, knowing she was going to miss the harmonious energy its presence brought to her. Asami held her hand as she did so, then walked by her side through the portal to their vacation’s ultimate end. 

As expected, much was happening around the portal when they arrived, but what Korra didn’t expect to see was Jinora, usually so calm and collected, angrily glaring at an old man, at least a dozen airbenders at her back. The old man looked taken aback at Jinora’s ferocity―many underestimated her in this way, misinterpreting her cool-headed intellect for timidity―and took a step back. 

_ Looks like we made it here just in time _ , Korra thought, not surprised that the old man felt intimidated in his current situation. He wore a beard that tapered off into a point directly beneath his chin, and the wrinkles on his forehead were so distinct, they looked almost papery when Korra got closer to him. His grey hair grew directly down to his beard.

Opal was the first one to notice Korra, flashing her a relieved smile and grabbing Jinora’s forearm. When Jinora turned and saw Korra, she took a step back from the old man and said forcefully, “Korra, you have to do something! We were having a nice meditation session around the portal, and―”

“Avatar Korra!” the man interrupted, causing Jinora to glare at him angrily. “I see you’re back from the spirit world! Would you be so kind as to escort these interlopers off of my land?” He smiled at Korra while he gestured toward Jinora and Opal, a tight-lipped, short-lived smile that telling Korra that he knew he was provoking the young airbender, and was more than okay with it.

“This land is  _ sacred _ ! It belongs to the spirits,” Jinora replied hotly, almost shouting now. Nearby spirits flitting around the portal started to turn darker, and Korra immediately realized that Jinora’s anger, though just, was affecting them without her knowing it.

Korra placed a hand on Jinora’s shoulder to tell her she’d take care of it. She was infinitely grateful when Asami whispered something to Jinora that calmed her rage momentarily. But then, Asami herself spoke to the man directly. “I remember you. Last time I saw you, you were walking out on a deal with my father.” The bitterness in her voice surprised Korra, and she looked on as Asami took Jinora’s place bickering with the man who refused to see reason. 

“That was just business, nothing personal,” he answered her, as if that cleared up the entire issue at hand. Asami opened her mouth to reply to him, seething with anger, to tell him how vile he was, but she thought better of it, taking Jinora by the arm and storming off with her. Despite herself, Korra was amused because she knew Asami; she knew she would immediately begin trashing the man the moment she and Jinora were out of earshot. Korra also appreciated that she chose to set that particular example for Jinora: don't humor someone who feeds off of your anger. 

Opal, after watching the two walk away, looked at Korra with a panicked expression. “Korra, he wants to turn the spirit world into a tourist attraction!”

“You vacationed there, young Avatar, so you should see why it’s such a great business opportunity! This will be a classy, state-of-the-art experience for only the most discerning of travelers,” the man explained. He held out a hand to Korra, which she took unenthusiastically, releasing it as quickly as social niceties would allow. “Wonyong Keum. I own the deed to this land and therefore am the owner of this spirit portal.”

“That’s  _ ridiculous _ ! You can’t  _ own _ a spirit portal!” Korra protested, looking into his beetle black eyes intensely, wondering whether to attempt to reason with him further. “This land is part of something much bigger than your business empire. Can’t you see that?”

A smug, humorless smile contorted the wrinkles on Keum’s face. “I had thought the Avatar would understand. No matter,” he waved his hand in her direction, like he was shooing away an annoying insect. “The police are already on their way.”

She decided the best way to solve the issue would be a hefty dose of Avatar intimidation.


	3. In Your Absence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra learns about what went on in the world while she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! 
> 
> here is another chapter nonsense for u. hope u enjoy
> 
> also!!!! if anyone wants ideas for Bolin/Korra fics, please message @sam-ortmann on tumblr! we are working together to expand the base of Borra-related content available online. if that method of communication wouldn't work for you, let me know, and we'll figure something out so you can contact each other :)

Korra’s eyes widened at Keum's statement.  _ Did he really call the cops on a bunch of airbenders meditating?  _

She looked at Opal for confirmation, who nodded her head grimly, lips pressed shut tightly as if she was actively refraining for retorting. Not a moment later, police satomobiles screeched to a halt at the edge of the commotion alongside Keum’s men and their vehicles.

Acting fast, Korra coaxed forth a vortex of air, compressing it into a tight, thin funnel, and raising her arms to bring it beneath herself. She maintained that posture, bringing herself higher and higher into the air, stretching the funnel as she did so, until she looked down at Won-yong Keum from a height that made him resemble an ant. Her anger at his attempt to exploit the spirits propelled her into the Avatar state, but it melted away from her as quickly as it came. 

Keum was clearly frightened by her display regardless of its short lifespan and frantically made his way to his own satomobile, no longer interested in reporting the airbenders’ transgressions to the police. His driver waited impatiently while he clumsily stumbled into the seat of his mobile, then took off as quickly as it would allow. 

Korra stayed atop the funnel until she was certain the infuriating man was fleeing the scene entirely. She glanced down at the ground for a moment to make sure she wasn’t about to land on someone, also noticing that, while the crowd was dispersing, the police mobile was empty.  _ The cops must be in the commotion, _ she assumed, scanning over the chaos in search of anyone in a uniform. 

When Korra noticed Lin Beifong weaving her way through the crowd, she breathed a sigh of relief. The funnel beneath her slowed its violent circulation as she calmed down, allowing it to uncoil. Lowering her arms to guide it through its descent toward the ground, she prepared herself to jump, then relinquished command of the air and allowed the funnel to dissipate. She landed nimbly and waited for Lin to arrive while the airbenders excitedly dashed to her side, congratulating her for ridding the area of the antagonist man.

Opal put a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you, Korra. Now we have to worry about the police. I just hope they can see reason.” She looked worried, yet she was obviously determined to stand her ground. As Korra opened her mouth to respond, Asami and Jinora joined the airbenders by Korra. 

Lin burst out of the commotion as it began dying down. “Hey, what’s going on here?” She demanded, and to most she would appear to be of bad temper, but Korra knew that Lin’s comportment simply wasn’t geared toward making friends; she wasn’t of bad humor but instead intensely focused on her job.

“The man who owned this land before the spirit portal opened―Wonyong Keum―said the airbenders were trespassing!” Jinora explained, clearly still angry; her voice was shaking. “But we were just meditating, we weren’t hurting anything!" 

Lin put a hand up, her expression hard stone as she digested what Jinora said. “I understand you’re angry, kid. Slow down.”

Before anyone could elaborate, everyone’s attention was diverted to the rapid footsteps approaching them. Most of Keum’s goons and the other onlookers had fled from the portal after Korra’s display, but the footsteps were growing louder. Korra noticed the non-metal police uniform before the sling, and the sling before she realized it was―

“ _ Mako! _ ” Exclaimed Asami. She was surprised that he was working since it hadn’t been more than a few weeks since he got injured, but at the same time, it was very like Mako to ignore the way he felt by working too much. Korra smiled broadly when she saw her friend rushing to Lin’s side. As Mako got closer, Korra noticed he wasn’t alone: behind him was Bolin, clad in a police uniform as well. Asami and Korra exchanged a look before running to meet them, beside themselves with joy that Team Avatar was reunited. Asami threw herself into Mako’s arms (or, rather, arm), and Korra met Bolin with a crushing hug before pulling Asami and Mako into it too.

All three of them gasped for air as the Avatar restrained her best friends with a suffocating hug, holding them off the ground momentarily before noticing their breathlessness and putting them down. Bolin looked noticeably happier than Korra had seen him for a while. She guessed the time out fighting crime and being badass with his brother had done him a lot of good, even if they were mostly working together because of Mako’s injury.

Korra turned to Mako. He looked… Exhausted. Dark circles beneath his eyes betrayed to Korra that he wasn't sleeping, and his uniform looked a little baggy on him, so she suspected he'd been having trouble eating too. Too familiar with the situation, Korra internally winced and decided she would have a word with him later. 

"I've missed you both so much!" Korra exclaimed, not missing a beat. 

“We’ve missed you too,” Mako admitted quietly, looking from Korra to Asami. “So… How was your trip to the spirit world?” 

“It was… Spirity,” Asami told him, moving closer to Korra, not sure of what else to say without revealing things that felt intimate to her. “How’s the police force treating you?” 

“Bolin is my temporary partner, so it’s been alright,” Mako replied, looking past Korra and Asami to Bolin, who had run to Opal to wrap her in a tight embrace. She was frantically telling him to put her down, but she smiled so widely it was clear that she was happy to see him. “He’s not mentioned much about Opal, but he’s been talking about missing you both a lot. I think he just wants everyone together.”

Korra felt a surge of warmth at Bolin’s affections. He had always been an expressive guy, unlike Mako, and the whole group often relied on him for morale. She knew that, even if Mako wouldn't admit it, Bolin's close presence was likely keeping him from coming unhinged. 

Lin cleared her throat loudly to disrupt the reunion and remind the friends that she was there on the clock. She tapped a foot on the ground while she waited for them to return their attention to the reason they were there. “Tell me what’s going on here. I don’t have all day.”

Korra, Asami, Mako, Bolin, Jinora, and Opal gathered before Lin. The other airbenders returned to the portal's circumference, resuming their meditation in an attempt to restore peace to the few spirits who had remained nearby, while Lin was given the run-down on the situation. She appeared pensive for a moment, then said, “I don’t like the sound of this. Korra, Asami, go speak with Zhu Li; she’s really stepped up since you made this whole mess, and she could probably use some help.”

Lin’s comment was typical of her usual abrasive attitude, but it still stung Korra a little bit. After all, she had almost died while creating the portal, but it seemed to her that no matter what she did, the people of the world demanded more, or at least demanded that it be done differently even in retrospect.

“I’ll go with them,” Mako offered, stepping to Asami and Korra’s side. “It’ll be nice to catch up. Plus, I think someone should let Zhu Li know of the… issues that are going on in the remnants of the city right now.”

Korra opened her mouth to ask about said issues, but before she could speak, Bolin replied, “I guess I have to go with you in case you need backup. I’m your partner!” He grinned widely at Mako, and Mako's grimace in response made it clear to Korra that Bolin talked about their joint job in this way a lot. 

“Temporary partner,” Mako reminded him, as if having a partner was proof of his weakness. “But… yes,” he sighed, turning toward the area where he’d parked the satomobile. “Zhu Li will be at the refugee camp. We can take the police mobile there.

Jinora sighed perhaps a bit dramatically, but Korra thought it was justified given the stress she was just put through. "I'm going to rejoin the others in meditating. Keum can't turn the spirit world into a theme park if he can't get in."

Opal, in a fierce tone, agreed with her, waving a quick goodbye to Bolin before she stormed off to the portal, followed closely by Jinora. When they'd both taken their spots next to the portal, Mako directed Korra, Asami, and Bolin from the clearing to the police mobile.

Asami raised her eyebrows, exchanging a glance with Korra when they . “Are we all going to fit in there?” 

“I’m sure we can all squeeze in,” Mako assured her. Doubtful, Korra watched as Mako sat behind the wheel and Bolin slid into the seat next to him. He patted the empty spot at his side, looking at Korra and Asami with a warm smile.

Korra took the space by Bolin, pushing his arm gently to tell him that he and Mako needed to squeeze together more closely, then pulled Asami into the seat next to her. Surprised, she yelped, “Korra!” but laughed a little anyway as she squeezed against the side of the mobile, shoulder pressed tightly to Korra’s. Everyone’s arms were tangled, and no one except Mako had room to move, but they sped away from the portal nonetheless, four of them squished into a seat for two. 

They chattered away during the drive to the refugee camp. Though the circumstances of their meeting were serious, all of them were thrilled to see each other again. Korra and Asami listened as Bolin recounted a few stories about himself and Mako fighting gang crime in the city, with Mako butting in to remind him of the details when his memory failed him. 

While Bolin had been enjoying the past few weeks, Mako clearly didn’t appreciate the action as much. In spite of Mako’s obvious reluctance to do so, Korra was certain he needed to take time away from work. As they pulled into a clearing full of rough looking tents, Korra added that to her growing mental list of things that Mako needed to do to recover. 

“Which one is Zhu Li’s?” Korra wondered aloud, stricken by how many lives had been displaced in so short a time. 

“Maybe it’s that one?” Asami suggested dryly, pointing to the nominally bigger tent toward which they were heading. It seemed Mako had made a few trips here already. 

“It is,” he confirmed shortly, parking the mobile in front of the large tent. Bolin swatted Mako's arm over and over until he stepped out of the mobile and let him Bolin out too. Korra followed Asami out the other side of the mobile, and together they entered the tent, where Zhu Li stood over a table littered with papers and writing utensils. Maps, notepads, and various unidentifiable instruments were scattered about the entire tent. Varrick stood behind Zhu Li, one hand on her shoulder, the other pointing to something on a document that had captured his attention, but when the group of friends walked in, he stopped.

“Zhu Li!” he exclaimed. “We have visitors!” He squeezed her shoulder and nodded to the doorway.

She looked up from the papers on the table and allowed them a small smile before returning her attention to whatever she was reading. It was clear that Zhu Li was stressed and busy, and privately, Korra didn’t suspect Varrick was of much help to her. A small twinge of hesitation to further burden her kept Korra quiet for a moment. 

“Welcome back from the spirit world,” Zhu Li said as she dragged her eyes away from what appeared to be a chart of expenses and income. “What brings you here, Avatar Korra?” She took a deep breath and sat down, poised to listen to what she expected was going to be more bad news.

“Lin told us we should come talk to you,” Korra explained, getting to the point as quickly as she could. She knew Zhu Li was pressed for time, so she didn’t hesitate to tell her about the situation at the spirit portal and what she thought should be done. 

Zhu Li listened quietly and nodded while Korra spoke, and when Korra was done, Mako spoke up. “There’s also something happening in the undamaged parts of the city that Lin thinks you should know about. Gang violence has gotten worse and worse with each day since the battle.”

“Gang violence? How?” Asami asked. “There’s hardly any city left. Why would they start fighting _each other_ after the war we just went through?”

Bolin shrugged exaggeratedly while everyone remained silent for a moment. Then, Varrick spoke. “Well, I know what I’d do if I were a leader of a band of wanted criminals who started serving me to put a roof over their heads.” Everyone looked at him expectantly while he held out his hands as if waiting for a reply. When it was clear no one could guess what he was going to say, he sighed exaggeratedly and continued, “I’d take control of the most important facets of the city while it’s being rebuilt.”

In that instant Korra realized her absence, even temporary, had certainly had an effect on the city in the aftermath of the battle. She cursed and kicked herself mentally, guilt swelling up in her stomach as she realized that the conflicts that arose during Kuvira's reign were far from resolved. 


	4. Fear and Reprieve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra attempts to re-immerse into the city life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heLLOOOO BOLIN!
> 
> this was a somewhat self-indulgent chapter. i can't not love bolin + pets

With a pit in her stomach, Korra reluctantly digested that Varrick was, once again, probably correct. He had a way of putting himself into other people’s shoes without empathizing with them in the slightest. By Korra’s side, Bolin took a sharp breath; she knew he’d understood the implications of what Varrick had said and that it probably hit close to home. Mako was unenthusiastic as ever, maintaining his usual taciturn attitude, and Asami was frowning. 

With furrowed eyebrows, Mako spoke up. “It makes sense. They’re usually fighting over turf anyway, and it’s gotten much more intense these past few weeks. But what can any of us do about it? We can’t take on all the gangs in the city with so much of our efforts focused on rebuilding…”

“The best thing we can do is begin building housing for the people of the city,” Asami said. “Regardless of what’s going on in the center, the people without homes are going to need a place to stay.”

Zhu Li nodded. “Agreed. I’ve been organizing deliveries of rations to the people in this camp area. There are hundreds displaced, and the longer they remain unsheltered, the more vulnerable they are to the gangs, should they come... recruiting.” She jabbed the tips of her fingers into her temples and massaged for a second before returning her attention to what she'd been working on: a plan to section off plots of land for residential areas.

Asami took Korra’s hand and squeezed it gently, meeting her eyes with a quick smile before moving to examine the papers on the table. Hardly a moment passed before she picked up a pen and began writing, stopping occasionally to shuffle through stacks of papers for information. Varrick took a place at her side, watching as she wrote and most likely silently judging everything he saw. Korra watched Asami put together Zhu Li's neatly sketched plans and scribble on her own sheets of paper, thinking to herself that she'd never realized how practical Asami was; she had multiple useful skills that Korra herself hadn't ever attempted to learn.

“I don’t think I can do much to help with designing houses. Is there anything else I can do?” Korra was eager to begin the reconstruction of Republic City, especially since Lin’s earlier comment about it being a disaster had been lingering in the back of her mind ever since she made it. She felt that, as the Avatar, she should be contributing to the effort in any way possible. 

_ I really have made a mess of things _ , Korra thought to herself.  _ I have to do what I can to make up for it.  _

“I’m a great artist, but I’m better at drawing stories,” Bolin said, looking at the city plans, and informational charts, graphs, and diagrams with wonder before nudging Korra and smiling brightly. She remembered the literal pounds and pounds of colored wax-stick drawings he'd sent her during her recovery. “Buildings and landscape aren’t really my thing, you know? I'm more into, like, inspiring epics.” 

Korra laughed heartily, shoving him lightly. “I know, Bolin.” 

The rustling of the tent's entrance flap being lifted stole Korra’s attention. She turned around to see Tenzin ducking through the entryway of the large tent, the rich golden light of dusk shining behind him, inundating the room with its luminescent glow. “Korra!” he exclaimed happily, pulling her into a quick hug before asking her, “How was the spirit world?”

Asami looked up from the plans she’d been drawing with a flushed face, fumbling and dropping her pen before she said, “Good! How about you?” 

“I’m… Doing well, Asami, thank you.” Tenzin answered hesitantly, appearing to notice the anxiety in Asami's response, and looked between her and Korra. 

“It’s so good to see you! What brings you here?” Korra asked, ignoring the flare of anger that began to stir within her gut. She, of course, didn't want to pressure Asami into telling anyone of their relationship before she was ready, and she felt a little petulant for being irritated, but all she could think was, _w_ _ ould Asami really rather do this than just tell them?  _

“Lin told me I could find you here. After I visited the spirit portal to check on the airbenders, she told me you were back, and I wanted to tell you that your rooms―both of your rooms―are still completely intact. You are welcome on Air Temple Island any time.” 

“Thank you,” Korra replied, taking a deep breath to calm her upset. She could talk to Asami later; a lot of the time, Asami simply didn't think the way Korra did, but Korra had learned to notice when her irritation was from not understanding what her girlfriend saw in a situation. When she heard Varrick shuffled around looking for a candle, she continued, “I didn’t notice it was getting so late! It’s almost dark.”

“I would be more than happy to take you to the island on Oogi,” Tenzin told her, pulling his airbender robes closer to his body as if to indicate his readiness to depart. “And I’m sure Oogi has missed you too.” 

The thought of Tenzin’s sky bison made Korra’s heart swell with warmth, reminding her of her own animal companion. The moment the thought crossed her mind, however, she immediately knew she wasn’t going straight to Air Temple Island. 

“Wait, isn’t Naga in Asami’s mansion with Wu, and Mako and Bolin’s family? I’d really like to see her first, if you don’t mind,” Korra rubbed her sheepishly, worried that Tenzin wouldn’t appreciate her asking for a detour. At the same time, she knew she could easily take Naga for a quick swim to the island if it was an issue.

Instead of annoyance, Korra was met with empathy. “Of course, Korra. I understand that you’d want to see her, given everything that’s been going on.” Tenzin looked at her with sad eyes, unsettling her a little. “Bolin, Mako, would you like a ride? Asami?” 

Asami shook her head, saying, “I don’t really want to go to my dad’s old mansion, even if it is technically mine now.” She stared at her hands like they had suddenly taken on a new meaning for her, but in the blink of an eye, the moment was over and she'd returned to planning a versatile infrastructure for the new areas that she, Varrick, and Zhu Li had been designing. While Zhu Li was best at organization of the masses, Asami was best with practically applying her knowledge, and Varrick was best at criticizing what he didn't understand until it was time for his technological and innovative experience to come into play.

Mako begrudgingly accepted the sky bison ride, most likely in an attempt to avoid cramming into the car again. Bolin followed suit, so the three of them followed Tenzin out of the tent after exchanging rushed goodbyes with the three focused city planners. Oogi hovered above the campsite, basking in the early evening sun, clearly waiting for Tenzin’s signal to do anything more. When he saw Tenzin, he zoomed to the ground by his side, kicking up clumps of dirt and grass with his landing. While Tenzin affectionately pet Oogi's muzzle before propelling himself onto his shoulders, Mako struggled to climb the bison with one arm. Noticing his struggle, Korra summoned a small pillar of earth to launch him to the bison’s back. Already heaving himself into the saddle, Bolin sighed exaggeratedly when Mako landed beside him, grumbling, “Why didn’t I think of that?” 

Korra climbed up the bison while smiling to herself at Bolin's comment, grabbing fistfuls of Oogi’s fur to hoist herself up to his saddle. He didn’t seem to mind. He let out a low rumble of approval, so Korra scratched him for a moment after she situated herself beside Bolin, who had begun reassuring Mako that his hair wasn’t messed up from his swift ascent into Oogi’s saddle. She absentmindedly watched as Tenzin patted Oogi’s head with a kind “yip yip!” to tell him it was time to go. As Korra let the wind blow on her face during their climb into the sky, Bolin offered to check on Mako's arm for him, which Mako declined without question, then turned to watch the landscape speed by. 

Bolin had spent the past few weeks maintaining Mako’s livelihood as best he could. He wanted Mako to know that his little brother was always there for him, but at the same time, Mako was emotionally stunted at best; he knew it would take time for Mako to realize that, no matter what happened, the people he loved would always be there for him. Until then, Bolin could wait, ready to come to his aid any time he was needed.

Unfortunately, his focus on Mako was taking away from the time he had for other parts of his life, like spending time outside of work. The chance that he had run into Opal had been a slim one, and he realized he hadn’t stayed on Air Temple Island in a while, or even gone to visit. With Pabu and Naga at Asami’s mansion in the city, having been cared for by Grandmako during the final battle, Bolin didn’t find himself desiring socialization often. On top of the animals’ company, he had his whole family with him all day long, and Mako didn’t like to leave home on the rare occasions that he wasn’t working. 

The journey to the mansion was a quick one, and before she knew it, Korra was throwing open the huge doors and eagerly looking around the enormous room on the other side. Naga wasn’t there, but Korra expected she was enjoying attention from the family elsewhere, so she stopped for a moment to appreciate the design of the building. Asami’s family was rich, of course, but they also had an exquisite taste in regards to their lifestyle. The entire estate smelled strongly of spice, like they’d doused the place in perfume; polished, sparkling umber tile floors stretched out to a gleaming staircase, underneath which was a pathway to the rest of the house. Korra knew the staircase led to the bedrooms, but since she wasn’t sure where Naga would be if she had one, she started toward the hall under the stairs.

Korra heard a soft, “Wait,” and felt a gentle hand wrap around her wrist that stopped her in her tracks. Bolin stood behind her, a nervous expression marring his usual happy demeanor.

Mako trudged by, saying in passing, “She’s upstairs, to the right, third door on the right.” He walked up the stairs slowly, like he was worried about slipping on the polished steps, and turned left to, presumably, head to his room.

“What’s up, Bolin?” asked Korra curiously, stopped in her tracks. 

“I, um…” he sputtered out a couple syllables before taking a breath to compose himself. “I was just thinking about… my body, and the kinds of mustaches I could have.” 

“Can you grow a mustache?” Korra replied, laughing a little, but still somewhat impatient to visit her best friend. Usually, when Bolin said strange things that made no sense in context or out of it, he was leading up to saying something more serious. 

“I―Ouch, first of all,” he let go of her wrist and crossed his arms before sighing again, defeatedly. “I can if I want, but, no, I’m not really thinking about mustaches. There’s just something I think you should know.” 

Feeling her heart jump in her throat preemptively, Korra furrowed her eyebrows. “You can tell me and Naga together!” She was getting antsy at that point, hoping Bolin would just accompany her and tell her on the way, so she would have Naga’s comfort to keep her from panicking about whatever it was that Bolin would have to say. 

“Korra, it’s about Naga." 

She raised an eyebrow to urge him to continue, but her face fell as he went on.  “She’s, just, not doing so well. I’ve spent a lot of time with her recently, and she seems to be kind of… sick?” 

“Sick, how?” Korra looked at Bolin with fear in her eyes as she felt acid rise in her throat. Naga had been a part of her life for so long now, she wasn’t sure if she could cope with her being dangerously ill.

Bolin put a firm but comforting hand on Korra’s shoulder as she turned to head upstairs. “I’m not sure, really. Pabu seems to be feeling less than great too, but Naga has me more worried.” He stayed close to Korra as she walked up the steps, head rushing with anxiety at the thought of what she may find. She passed one door, then two, then was in front of the third one which, according to Mako, would be where Naga was staying. 

“Do you… Do you want to be alone with her?” Bolin asked, not wanting to invade Korra’s privacy. He remembered how she’d traveled to the South Pole alone during her own illness and got the feeling she might prefer solace when she was upset.

“Just for a minute,” she said quietly with a tiny smile. She pressed her ear to the door and  recoiled at the sound she heard: a deep wheezing sound laced with the occasional sound of Naga shuffling around on the floor. Korra’s heart crumbled when she opened the door and found her best friend lying on her back, chest heaving in an attempt to breathe. Her fur looked neatly combed, if a bit thinner than usual, and she had food waiting on a plate for her by the door, but it was untouched. 

“Hey, girl,” Korra whispered, as if afraid her voice would shatter the polar bear dog. Naga’s ears swiveled around in her direction instantly, and she feebly lifted her head to greet Korra, tail thumping on the floor. 

Tears welled up in Korra’s eyes at her response.  _ It’s okay, she’ll be okay. _ She let out a sharp breath, feeling her guilt pour down her face as she fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around Naga’s neck, burying her face in her soft collar of fur. With her ear to Naga’s throat, Korra could hear her shallow breaths, which made her want to hug Naga tighter, but she refrained from doing so for fear of impeding her breathing. 

When Korra pulled away from Naga, the polar bear dog stood up weakly and climbed on top of her, licking Korra’s face in between sporadic raspy coughs. Though it was gross, Korra was glad that Naga’s spirit seemed to be in good shape despite her absence. A knock on the door rang through the room and stole Naga’s attention; she traipsed there slowly and sat just far enough away from the door that there would be room for it to open―almost like she had practiced. After a moment of silence, the door creaked open to reveal Bolin, who peeked his head in and asked hesitantly, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, thank you,” Korra tucked a loose clump of hair behind her ear, suddenly sheepish about how intensely she had worried before. Naga obviously wasn’t feeling great, but to Korra, her illness seemed a lot like the cold that afflicted Naga every few years. With all the hectic events recently, it wouldn’t have surprised her if Naga had been at least a little stressed, which would make her more susceptible to sickness. Korra waved a hand to Bolin to tell him to come in since Naga seemed excited about his presence.

Bolin smiled fondly at the polar bear dog and rubbed her muzzle momentarily before taking a seat by her food dish and patting the floor in front of his crossed legs. Naga cocked her head and looked at him curiously, and Korra could clearly read her expression to mean,  _ Why are you over there when I am over here?  _ She laughed out loud. 

“Go to Bolin, Naga!” Korra urged her in an upbeat tone, catching her attention for a moment. Naga let out a quiet whimper, pawing at the floor in front of her to say,  _ Why can’t you just come over here? _

Korra’s gut lurched at the pitiful request, but Bolin made kissy noises to her, drawing her interest back to the food dish and enticing her to come to him for a snack and some pats. She slowly made her way to Bolin, shakily putting one paw in front of the other until she reached Bolin and collapsed on him with a victorious, if somewhat raspy,  _ OOMPH!  _

“Naga, oh no!” Korra cried, but she couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted from deep in her belly when she saw Bolin struggling to free himself from under Naga’s weight. Still shaking with laughter, she approached them with the intention of helping Bolin, but she realized Naga was licking his face animatedly and that he was trying to keep her tongue out of his mouth. Now Korra wheezed, but in laughter; hearing Bolin’s muffled protests and seeing his futile attempts to push her companion off of him was just too much. 

She caught her breath and patted Naga between her shoulder blades, surprised at how sharp they felt. Naga reluctantly rolled off of Bolin and lay on her back, making it easier to solicit belly rubs. Korra kneeled and patted her tummy while Bolin recovered from Naga’s barrage of affection, and when he began to scratch behind Naga’s ear, Korra said, “Sorry for laughing at you. It’s just that I was so worried she’d be… Sicker, I guess.”

Bolin nodded. “I’ve spent a lot of time with her recently. At first, it was because Pabu loves hanging out with her, and I love hanging out with Pabu, so we would all hang out together. But Naga started wheezing after you were gone for a few days, and I thought it might be safer if someone spent time with her to make sure she’s okay.” 

“So she is okay, you think?” Korra asked hopefully, watching as Naga sat up and made her way to her food dish. Bolin and Korra observed her sniffing her food, and when she lapped up a meager bite, they grinned to each other, Bolin clapping excitedly. “If she hasn’t stopped wheezing by the end of the week, I’ll have to take her to Katara.”

With a raised eyebrow and a curious tone, Bolin asked, “But isn’t she staying at the South Pole? That’s, like, forever away...” He trailed off when he saw Korra nodding pensively at his statement. 

Her gaze lingered on Naga, who was weakly munching on her food and occasionally snorting like she had a stuffy nose. She never liked seeing Naga sick, but she couldn't spend days traveling after returning to the city, especially if said travel involved transporting Naga without riding her. A few possibilities flitted through her mind until she thought about her recent trip home, how she and Asami had managed to just... pop in on Tonraq and Senna. 

Korra felt her resolve strengthen when she remembered her last visit to the south pole; she was certain she'd found the solution. “If we can’t travel there by boat, plane, or polar bear dog, I think the spirit portal would work.” 


End file.
